Got a visit from the local code enforcement official yesterday. Apparently a new neighbor (a fire chief of a neighboring town) called them to report an illegal fire. I had made a batch of charcoal using the Gilmore system, and it made quite a bit of smoke for the first 10-15. After that there was no smoke, but in that short time I managed to get his attention. The code enforcement guy was cool about it, and just told me to stop.

I looked it up, and open fires are illegal in my town, but I didn’t really consider what I was doing to be an open fire. Obviously, I don’t want to anger my neighbors or code enforcement, but am I wrong? Is it even possible to make charcoal without making some smoke while it comes up to temp?

all I can think of is to make yourself a clear greenhouse structure to not just dry but almost kiln dry your wood. The double barrel system will always produce a little smoke at startup as it generates a layer of charcoal to run the pyrolysis gases through. A smaller unit might be better as well if they allow outdoor fireplaces. Also waiting for dark works…

Well CoryW you are truly behind the eightball now with that neighbor. All of the cute tricks like a backyard meat smoker will not fly under his “professional. knows-best” radar.

Sigh. I have an early-health-retired former WA/State DNR Forestry field guy neighbor given us fits on our woodlot harvest.
Dec he forced a triggered another on-site inspection over “leave-trees”. Number SEVEN on-site for this simple 10 acre project. We left five acres unharvested. We passed.
Jan a triggered WA/State/Revenue audit on our harvest income/taxes. Yeah. Of course they were able to find one slight math error and snowball that out to $,$$$ we now owe them.
Stupid. Stupid of this; Might-Makes-Right, neighbor. He’s now moved himself up to my number one problem to solve priority.

I have never tried it but what about putting charcoal on the top of the wood. Start the charcoal and put a secondary burn barrel on right away. By the time the burn makes its way to the wood, the hot char would burn the smoke??TomC

CoryW, If steveU said something you bet on it as fact. So scratch the smoker idea. Do you heat your home on wood? If you do than you can make your charcoal in the fireplace. Not a lot at one time, but you make it and save it up. Others on this site do it. May be they could join and explained how they make it in their fire places.

If it was me Cory, I would call the municipal office and very politely ask where you can download a copy of the bylaws. If you find a friendly one and you often do phrase it something along the lines of a small outdoor firepit. I think most of those bylaws are designed to avoid idiots burning a yard of wet leafs. If you size it down to a tlud cooking charmaker it should pass off as a barbecue/smoker anyways…

Thanks for all the feedback guys! I think Steve is probably right. I’m not gonna be able to win against a fire chief even if he works in a other town. I do have friends who live in the country, so I guess I could take my operation out there. Better yet, I could move out there myself. Good thing I’ve got about 60 gallons stored up. Now I just need to finish the gasifier.

Here in WV, as long as you have a pack of hot dogs, or marshmallows they can’t stop you from cooking food, besides you don’t have an open fire. I know you have to pick your battles, but this is why this BS goes on, no one fights for freedom any more.

Have a look at the charcoal documentary scroll down and look at Bruce’s retort and how that works , I have made a similar upright one, a copy of the James Hookway one on Youtube , , I started off with a 20 gallon drum wrapped in insulation with a 4 inch tube running through it and never got any smoke out of it that lasted more than a few seconds every now and then .
I have made larger ones since , but the secret is to have good insulation and very dry wood .
If you do decided to get a wood stove for your fireplace ,that’s a really easy clean way to make charcoal , during my days indoors I can make upwards of 40 gallons of charcoal during the day and keep the house nice and warm .